As fall 2016 kicks in, pharmaceutical manufacturers and those involved in the supply chain are grappling with the roll out of The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). For many, activities have been in full swing for a few years and others are still planning how they will approach it. I pity the latter group. They’ve likely misjudged the complexity of the task and the market resources available to accomplish it.

Our election looms in the background. These two events could be seen as separate, but are they? Well unfortunately, no. This current challenge in pharmaceutical packaging is driven by DSCSA passed in 2013. It affects the entire pharmaceutical supply chain and will continue to do so through full implementation in 2023 but typical of Washington, D.C., the legislation missed the mark and will fall short of its goal, a secure supply chain.